HHS Public Access Author manuscript Author Manuscript
Cardiol Young. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2017 September 29. Published in final edited form as: Cardiol Young. 2016 August ; 26(6): 1130–1136. doi:10.1017/S1047951115001900.
Systematic psychosocial screening in a paediatric cardiology clinic: clinical utility of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist 17 Kari L. Struemph1, Lydia R. Barhight1, Deepika Thacker2,3, and Erica Sood1,2,3 1Division
of Behavioral Health, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, United States of America
Author Manuscript
2Nemours
Cardiac Center, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, United States of America
3Department
of Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Abstract Objective—To examine the clinical utility of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist 17 for identifying psychosocial concerns and improving access to psychology services within a paediatric cardiology clinic.
Author Manuscript
Method—Parents of 561 children (aged 4–17 years) presenting for follow-up of CHD, acquired heart disease, or arrhythmia completed the Pediatric Symptom Checklist 17 as part of routine care; three items assessing parental (1) concern for learning/development, (2) questions about adjustment to cardiac diagnosis, and (3) interest in discussing concerns with a behavioural healthcare specialist were added to the questionnaire. A psychologist contacted the parents by phone if they indicated interest in speaking with a behavioural healthcare specialist. Results—Percentages of children scoring above clinical cut-offs for externalising (10.5%), attention (8.7%), and total (9.3%) problems were similar to a “normative” primary-care sample, whereas fewer children in this study scored above the cut-off for internalising problems (7.8%; p 0.05). Increasing child age was positively associated with internaliszing symptoms (r =0.18, p
Cardiol Young. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2017 September 29. Published in final edited form as: Cardiol Young. 2016 August ; 26(6): 1130–1136. doi:10.1017/S1047951115001900.
Systematic psychosocial screening in a paediatric cardiology clinic: clinical utility of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist 17 Kari L. Struemph1, Lydia R. Barhight1, Deepika Thacker2,3, and Erica Sood1,2,3 1Division
of Behavioral Health, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, United States of America
Author Manuscript
2Nemours
Cardiac Center, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, United States of America
3Department
of Pediatrics, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Abstract Objective—To examine the clinical utility of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist 17 for identifying psychosocial concerns and improving access to psychology services within a paediatric cardiology clinic.
Author Manuscript
Method—Parents of 561 children (aged 4–17 years) presenting for follow-up of CHD, acquired heart disease, or arrhythmia completed the Pediatric Symptom Checklist 17 as part of routine care; three items assessing parental (1) concern for learning/development, (2) questions about adjustment to cardiac diagnosis, and (3) interest in discussing concerns with a behavioural healthcare specialist were added to the questionnaire. A psychologist contacted the parents by phone if they indicated interest in speaking with a behavioural healthcare specialist. Results—Percentages of children scoring above clinical cut-offs for externalising (10.5%), attention (8.7%), and total (9.3%) problems were similar to a “normative” primary-care sample, whereas fewer children in this study scored above the cut-off for internalising problems (7.8%; p 0.05). Increasing child age was positively associated with internaliszing symptoms (r =0.18, p
